As we approach Father’s Day, many of us find ourselves thinking about our fathers. Some remember a father who was strong, faithful, and loving. Others remember a father who worked long hours and sacrificed quietly for his family. Some are blessed to still have their fathers with them and will spend this weekend celebrating with them. Others carry memories and offer prayers for fathers who have already left this world.
Still others find Father’s Day difficult. For some, a father was absent. For others, the relationship was strained, broken, or marked by wounds that remain even after many years. And yet, despite all these different experiences, there is one thing that unites us all.
Every soul longs for a father.
Deep within the human heart is a desire to be known, protected, guided, and loved by someone stronger than ourselves. We long for someone who will stand beside us in our struggles, encourage us when we fall, and welcome us home when we have lost our way.
That longing did not arise by accident. God Himself placed it there. And because He placed it there, He has also provided an answer.
God has provided a father for every soul.
Today, as we approach Father’s Day, I would like to reflect not only on earthly fathers, but also on spiritual fathers – those whom God has entrusted with caring for souls – and ultimately on God the Father Himself, from whom all fatherhood receives its meaning.
When Jesus wanted to teach us about God, He could have used many titles. He could have spoken of God primarily as King. He could have spoken of God as Judge. He could have spoken of God as Creator. All of those titles are true. Yet when Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He began with two simple words: “Our Father.”
Think about that.
The eternal Son of God came into the world and taught us to address the Creator of the universe as Father. Not merely Lord. Not merely Almighty. But Father. This tells us something profound about God’s heart.
God does not simply want our obedience. He wants our trust. He does not simply want servants. He desires sons and daughters. Jesus makes this clear in the Gospel of St. Luke when He says: “And which of you, if he asks his father for bread, will he give him a stone? Or a fish, will he for a fish give him a scorpion?” (Luke 11:11)
Then Jesus concludes: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask Him?” (Luke 11:13)
Our Lord is telling us that every good father on earth reflects something of the goodness of the Father in heaven. A good father protects. A good father provides. A good father teaches. A good father sacrifices. A good father gives of himself so that his children may flourish. And every one of those qualities finds its perfection in God.
The problem, of course, is that earthly fathers are human. Every father falls short. Every father makes mistakes. Every father carries weaknesses. The best fathers among us would be the first to admit that they have failed at times. But even imperfect fathers can point us toward the perfect Father whose love never fails.
And perhaps nowhere do we see that love more beautifully than in the parable we call the Prodigal Son. Most people know the story. A younger son demands his inheritance. He leaves home. He wastes everything. He makes foolish decisions. Eventually he finds himself hungry, broken, and alone. Finally he decides to return home.
As he walks back, he prepares a speech. He will admit his sins. He will ask forgiveness. He will offer to become a servant. But something remarkable happens. Before he even reaches the house, his father sees him. The father has clearly been watching. Waiting. Hoping. Praying.
And when he sees his son in the distance, he does something unexpected. He runs. In the ancient world, dignified men did not run. Yet this father runs toward his son. He embraces him. He kisses him. He restores him. Before the son can finish his confession, the father is already calling for a robe, a ring, and sandals. He is already preparing a feast. The father is not interested in punishment. He is interested in restoration. He wants his son home.
My brothers and sisters, that father is God. And every time we go to Confession, we encounter that same Father. Many people stay away from the sacrament because they fear judgment. Yet God is not standing at a distance waiting to condemn us. He is watching for our return. He is longing to welcome us home. He is waiting to place His mercy around our shoulders like a robe.
What a beautiful lesson for every father. The strongest fathers are not those who never forgive. The strongest fathers are those who know how to love with mercy. Children do not need perfection from their fathers. They need faithfulness. They need patience. They need a father who reflects something of the mercy of God.
This brings us to another kind of fatherhood that is especially important in the life of the Church. Spiritual fatherhood. Sometimes people ask why Catholics call priests “Father.” The answer is not because priests are more important than others. Nor is it simply a title of respect. The title reflects a spiritual reality. Through Baptism, a priest welcomes souls into the family of God. Through the Eucharist, he nourishes them. Through Confession, he helps reconcile them to the Father.
He teaches. He counsels. He prays. He visits the sick. He comforts the grieving. He buries the dead. He accompanies people through every stage of life. In many ways, a priest spends his life helping souls reach heaven. That is profoundly fatherly.
Most parishioners never fully see how much their priests carry. The late-night phone calls. The hospital visits. The worries. The prayers offered in private. The burdens borne silently. Like good fathers, priests often carry these responsibilities quietly and without recognition. Yet they do so out of love. They do so because Christ has entrusted His people to their care.
As a bishop, I have had the privilege of witnessing this every day. I have seen priests who spend themselves generously for their people. I have seen priests who celebrate Mass faithfully even when they are tired. I have seen priests who sit for hours hearing confessions. I have seen priests who remain steadfast through difficulties and disappointments because they love the souls entrusted to them.
As we think about spiritual fathers, we can also reflect on the ministry of bishops. A bishop is called to be a shepherd. But he is also called to be a father. He must teach the faith. Guard the truth. Support his priests. Encourage the faithful. Care for the poor. Defend the vulnerable. And lead souls toward Christ. No bishop fulfills these responsibilities perfectly. But every bishop is called to imitate the heart of the Good Shepherd and the tenderness of a father.
And beyond bishops stands the Holy Father. The Pope. For centuries Catholics have affectionately referred to the Pope as the Holy Father. Not because he is a ruler in the worldly sense. Not because he possesses worldly power. But because he serves as a spiritual father to the universal Church. This Father’s Day, let us remember him in our prayers as well.
Today, spiritual fatherhood is not easy. We live in confusing times. The culture increasingly rejects the truths of the Gospel. Many people no longer know what to believe. Some openly oppose the teachings of Christ and His Church. Others are simply lost and searching for answers.
In such times, the responsibility placed upon priests and bishops is immense. St. Paul reminded Timothy, “Guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” The faith does not belong to us. We are not free to reshape it according to the fashions of the age. We are called to receive it, preserve it, live it, and hand it on faithfully to the next generation.
This is one of the great responsibilities of spiritual fatherhood. A father does not merely comfort his children. He also teaches them the truth. He protects them from dangers they may not yet see. He guides them along a path that leads to life.
We should never underestimate the pressures faced by priests and bishops today. Fidelity to Christ can be costly. It requires courage, humility, and perseverance. It requires the willingness to stand firm when the world demands compromise.
For this reason, one of the greatest gifts the faithful can offer their spiritual fathers is prayer. Pray for your priests. Pray for your bishop. Pray for all bishops throughout the world. Pray that they may have the wisdom to teach clearly, the charity to shepherd lovingly, and the courage to proclaim the truth without fear.
Our Lord Himself told Peter, “Strengthen your brethren.” That remains the task of the Church’s shepherds today. And as spiritual children, we should support them with our prayers, and our fidelity to Christ.
Of course, no reflection on fatherhood would be complete without speaking of St. Joseph. St. Joseph never speaks a single word in Scripture. Not one. Yet he is one of the greatest fathers who ever lived. His fatherhood was expressed not through words but through actions. He protected Mary. He protected Jesus. He obeyed God. He worked faithfully. He sacrificed quietly. He placed himself at the service of God’s plan.
St. Joseph is exactly the kind of father our world needs today. A father who is faithful. A father who is courageous. A father who puts others before himself. A father who listens to God. A father who remains steadfast when life becomes difficult.
To all fathers listening today, know that your vocation matters. Your children may not remember every gift you gave them. They may not remember every lesson you taught. But they will remember your presence. They will remember whether you loved them. They will remember whether you prayed with them. They will remember whether you lived your faith.
Never underestimate the power of your example. The world changes when fathers embrace their vocation. Families become stronger. Children become more secure. Faith is passed from one generation to the next. And society itself becomes healthier.
As we conclude, let us return to the simple truth with which we began. Every soul longs for a father. Some find that love in an earthly father. Some discover it through a priest. Some experience it through a bishop or spiritual mentor. But ultimately every authentic fatherhood points beyond itself. Every good father points toward God. Toward the Father who created us. The Father who seeks us when we wander. The Father who forgives us when we repent. The Father who welcomes us home. The Father whose love never ends.
This Father’s Day, let us give thanks for all fathers living and deceased. Let us pray for our priests. Let us pray for our bishops. Let us pray for the Holy Father. And let us ask God to heal all those who carry wounds related to fatherhood.
May every soul come to know the tenderness, mercy, and strength of the Father who loves us with an everlasting love.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of fatherhood. Bless all fathers living and deceased. Strengthen husbands and fathers in their sacred vocation. Protect and guide our priests, bishops, and the Holy Father. Heal those who have been wounded by the absence of a father’s love. Draw every soul closer to Your heart, and help us always to trust in Your mercy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
As we celebrate Father’s Day, let us remember our fathers, our spiritual fathers, and above all our Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood receives its meaning and purpose. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
Bishop Emeritus
